Outside the Seven Treasure Marketplace.
Two groups of carriages and horses converged without prior arrangement.
Qian Renxue and Salas stepped out of their carriages almost simultaneously.
Their gazes met in midair.
It seemed to make even the air in the area turn abruptly cold.
Qian Renxue withdrew her gaze and smiled faintly.
She said,
"Bishop Salas, long time no see?"
She stood on the carriage shaft in long-sleeved blue robes, refined and easygoing, with an extraordinary bearing.
Salas, meanwhile, smiled sinisterly and spoke with veiled sarcasm.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you are as distinguished as ever."
"I wonder what brings Your Highness to the Seven Treasure Marketplace?"
"Am I required to report to Bishop Salas?"
Qian Renxue sneered sarcastically.
Although she also belonged to Spirit Hall, the infiltration plan was top secret. Even someone like Salas, a Platinum Bishop and the head of a branch temple, was still not qualified to know her identity.
Besides, she held Salas's character in utter contempt.
Greedy, lecherous, and vicious.
It could be said that Salas was responsible for the foul practices prevailing in the Heaven Dou Martial Soul Temple.
"Of course not."
Salas narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable, and looked toward the people he had brought.
"Go browse around the Marketplace yourselves."
"Take whatever you need. Put everything on the temple's account."
"Thank you, Temple Master."
Several senior members of the Martial Soul Temple hurriedly replied with grins.
Then they headed inside the Marketplace with their arms slung around one another's shoulders.
An attendant came out to receive them, only to be shoved aside roughly.
"Go fetch your manager."
"What random dogs and cats think they're fit to serve us?"
At the sight, an icy chill filled Qian Renxue's eyes.
Ning Xuan, standing by a second-floor window, also witnessed the scene.
He turned to Cao Manager and said,
"Go."
"Charge all their purchases to Spirit Hall's account."
"Young Sect Master, they..."
Cao Manager looked troubled.
These people were clearly trying to snare a white wolf with empty hands. Even if their purchases really were charged to Spirit Hall, given Sect Master Ning Fengzhi's disposition, the matter would simply be left unresolved in the end.
"Go. They won't be able to dodge this debt."
Ning Xuan's expression was icy.
Cao Manager acknowledged the order and hurried away.
Just then, Sword Douluo Chen Xin walked in with a frown and said,
"Little Xuan, what are they here for?"
Ning Xuan shook his head.
"I don't know, but they certainly haven't come with good intentions."
People from Spirit Hall had been keeping watch outside the Marketplace last night, and today Salas had brought people here. No matter how one looked at it, something unusual was afoot.
Especially since the visitors included the reigning crown prince.
Qian Renxue!
As a transmigrator, Ning Xuan naturally knew her identity.
And because of her father, Ning Fengzhi,
she had interacted with Qian Renxue several times, and their relationship was neither good nor bad.
But why had she come as well?
Ning Xuan sank into thought. Where had something gone wrong?
"It should be about what happened last night."
Chen Xin said.
Before long, an attendant escorted Qian Renxue and Salas inside together.
"Young Sect Master, long time no see."
Qian Renxue's smile felt like a warm spring breeze.
"If Your Highness needs anything, you need only send someone to summon me. Why lower yourself to make the trip?"
Ning Xuan responded with a smile as well.
Compared with Qian Renxue's polite pleasantries, Salas appeared rather more aggressive.
First, he gave a snort through his nose.
Then, without another glance, he sat down with utter disregard for everyone.
He simply did not take Ning Xuan seriously at all.
"You're Ning Xuan?"
Only after all three parties were seated did Salas cast a sidelong glance at Ning Xuan and speak.
But the next instant, a terrifying pressure abruptly erupted.
It was Sword Douluo Chen Xin!
He had remained silent, but that did not mean he was absent. The terrifying pressure of a Super Douluo, mingled with threads of Seven Kill Sword Intent, crushed straight toward Salas.
Boom-
The chair beneath Salas shattered instantly.
Salas himself fell helplessly to the floor along with it.
"Chen... Your Eminence Sword Douluo..."
Salas's expression turned utterly ugly.
Having disregarded everyone, only now did he notice Sword Douluo Chen Xin seated in the corner.
"Salas, mind your tone."
Chen Xin's voice was calm.
But in Salas's ears, it was like evening drums and morning bells, deafening him and instantly drenching him in sweat.
"I..."
Salas hurriedly lowered his head, concealing the boundless venom in his eyes.
"Understood."
By the time he raised his head again, his expression had returned to normal.
Salas sat down again. Although his manner remained cold, at least he was no longer quite so overbearing.
"Bishop Salas, may I ask what brings you here?"
Ning Xuan asked him.
The scene just now had secretly delighted him.
"Of course I have business here."
Salas's voice sank slightly as he did his best to recover the dignity he had just lost.
"A great battle took place outside Heaven Dou City last night. Are you aware of it, Young Sect Master?"
Ning Xuan paused.
Sure enough, that was why he had come.
"I've heard a little."
Ning Xuan did not deny it.
Qian Renxue, however, was somewhat surprised. What did Salas mean by this?
Could he suspect that Ning Xuan had something to do with last night's fierce battle outside the city?
"People from the temple found this there today. Please give us an explanation, Young Sect Master."
He placed the Third-Class Warrant on the edge of the table.
Salas's gaze burned as he stared at Ning Xuan like a hawk.
"A Third-Class Warrant belonging to an Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall."
Understanding dawned in Ning Xuan's mind.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Surely Bishop Salas isn't suggesting that I killed that Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall?"
"Whether you did or not, Young Sect Master, you need only provide proof."
Salas abruptly leaned forward, his words sharp and his expression stern.
"Someone saw the Young Sect Master enter the Marketplace last night, gravely injured and supported by His Eminence Sword Douluo."
"And an Honorary Elder of the temple died horribly for no apparent reason."
"As temple master, I, Salas, have grounds to insist on getting to the bottom of this."
"Salas..."
Chen Xin frowned and spoke as well.
But this time, before he could finish, Salas cut him off.
"Your Eminence Sword Douluo."
"An Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall has been murdered. This is a grave matter of a heinous nature, and it must be thoroughly investigated."
"If Your Eminence continues to obstruct me,"
"then do not blame this bishop for reporting to Spirit City immediately upon my return."
Salas's face was cold and stern, his manner overbearing. He even invoked Spirit Hall in an attempt to suppress Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
Ning Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"How would Bishop Salas like me to prove it?"
"It's quite simple. You need only explain where you went last night and how you sustained your injuries, Young Sect Master."
Salas leaned back in his chair, composed and unhurried.
He believed that mentioning Spirit City was enough to keep Chen Xin in check, so he was in a very pleasant mood.
"Last night?"
Ning Xuan's tone was mocking.
"Salas, what right do you have to question me?"
"You don't dare say?"
Salas instantly flew into a rage, slamming the table and shouting,
"Then I can conclude that you took part in surrounding and killing our temple's Honorary Elder last night."
"I will report this matter to Spirit City."
"When the time comes, I'm sure His Holiness the Pope will not mind bringing people here in person."
Just then, the door to the reception hall suddenly opened, and a cool voice rang out.
"The Young Sect Master was with me all last night."
Qian Renxue was instantly stunned.
"Lady Yue!"
Three chapters delivered. Please send recommendation votes, monthly votes, and five-star reviews.